


Nobody tries to kill my servant

by Servena



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-21
Updated: 2012-08-21
Packaged: 2018-07-18 10:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7310863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Servena/pseuds/Servena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Arthur are attacked on their way back to Camelot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nobody tries to kill my servant

He didn't even see it happen. One moment he was sitting on his horse, the sword in his hand, the next something hit him in the side and his back slammed onto the ground. The air was squeezed from his lungs and for an instant he couldn't breathe. His side hurt, but his head even more, black spots were dancing in front of his eyes. Somewhere, a horse was whinnying in panic and he could hear shouts and the sounds of swords clashing. “Don't kill the prince, he's worth much more alive!” he heard someone shout. 'Arthur!' he thought. They would kidnap the prince and demand ransom from the king. At least he was going to stay alive...that was more than he could say about himself.

The bandit who had knocked him off his horse appeared in his field of vision, grinning maliciously. He was holding a blade in his hand. “The prince's worth money, but you're not, so the boss ain't saying anything when I kill ya, hm?”

Merlin had lost his sword when he fell, and when he tried to magically call it over, his headache only intensified. Dizziness swept over him. 'This is bad', he thought. The man raised his knife and Merlin closed his eyes. Arthur had probably already been captured, but at least he was going to be alright.

There was the loud clanging of two blades colliding. “Nobody tries to kill my servant!” Merlin snapped his eyes open. Arthur was pushing back the bandit with wide strikes of his sword. 

“Arthur”, he gasped.

The bandit was a skilful fighter, but he stood no chance against the prince. Under the furious blows, he lost his balance. Arthur rammed his sword through his chest without hesitation. Instantly he turned around. “Merlin!” He leaned over him. “Are you alright?” There was a clear amount of worry in his voice. Merlin nearly grinned at it.

“I'm fine”, he mumbled. “Might have a rib broken. And the head hurts.”

“Good thing there's nothing too important in there”, Arthur muttered, but there was a relieved smile on his face.

“Hey!” Merlin protested weakly. He slowly sat up with Arthurs help. “What about the others?”

“Dead.”

“Wow”, Merlin said under his breath.

“I'm just going to ignore that sound of surprise.”

Arthur went to fetch the horses while Merlin waited. When he returned, there was a wide grin on Merlin's face. “What?” Arthur asked irritated.

“'Nobody tries to kill my servant'?” Merlin raised his eyebrows quizzically.

Arthur turned around to adjust the horse's saddle. “Good servants are hard to find.” He looked at him over his shoulder. “Not that you're good”, he added. “You're horrible. But you're good fun, sometimes.”

“Oh, that's reassuring. Is that what's gonna be on my gravestone?”

“Please, Merlin.” Arthur sounded exasperated. “You're not going to die anytime soon.”

“By the amount of fighting we do I'm not so sure about that.”

When Arthur tried to help Merlin onto the back of the nearest horse, he protested. “That's not my horse.”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “I know that's not your horse. But I don't want you to fall off it and hit your head again. So you're riding with me.”

“I'm not got going to fall off my horse”, Merlin stated.

The prince shoved him into the saddle anyway. “Shut up, Merlin.”

“Yes, Sire”, he sighed. No more discussing when the prince was like that.

Arthur tied the reins of Merlin's horse to their saddle and sat up behind him. 

“Thanks, by the way. You know, for saving me”, Merlin said suddenly.

“You know, you're really a horrible servant –“

“Yes, you said that”, Merlin remarked dryly.

“– but you're also my friend. I wouldn't want to lose you.”

Merlin smiled. “I'm glad you weren't kidnapped.”

“Yeah, me too.”

They both chuckled and began their long ride back to Camelot.


End file.
